RS

FRONT PAGE CONTRIBUTOR

Evangelizing The Theology of Sartre

At 10:10 we’re all about trying new and creative ways of getting people to take action on climate change. Unfortunately in this instance we missed the mark. Oh well, we live and learn. Onwards and upwards….

(HT: Andrew Revkin)

In the past I’ve raised the theory that the modern environmental movement is more than just a outfit for Chameleon Communists. It offers more to its followers than just cheap absolution for the Lexus Liberal set on some other taxpayer’s dime. The hard-core Environmental Movement is the secular equivalent of a religion.

This religion borrows its theology from Existential Philosopher Jean Paul Sartre. The capstone tagline of this system of belief is spoken by Garcin in the play No Exit. Hell, according to Garcin, is other people. Environmentalists generally reach this conclusion in any conversation or public forum where they expound upon their beliefs. This proves abundantly true in the case of the recent video released in support of the group 10:10.

The video begins with a calm and reasonable teacher blowing up two of her students who refuse to reduce their carbon footprints. The scene is repeated on a soccer field. The group and many of its backers claim they were just kidding. It was Monty Pythonesque British Humor and those damn, dirty denialists would laugh if they had more culture.

By and large, most environmental groups were not particularly willing to denounce the video. 10:10 issued the sort of apology that stops just short of accusing the intended audience of being stupid.

“Many people found the resulting film extremely funny, but unfortunately some didn’t and we sincerely apologize to anybody we have offended”

Yep. Blowing up everyone who doesn’t agree with you. What a knee-slapper. The “many people” who found this funny probably also laugh when someone lets two bums fight it out for a free hit of Meth. Kicking puppies into a soccer goal would appeal to their finely-honed sense of the aesthetic.

Oh well, at least the noble and decent souls over at Greenpeace were deeply upset. They were deeply upset that denialist freaks like moi had downloaded copies of this video to demonstrate what a bunch of barbaric and evil twits the environmental movement had succeeded in recruiting across the pond. Oh, and at least they don’t believe in violence…

“As an organization committed to non-violence, I think you can imagine how Greenpeace views this material. At this time, the only people promoting the material are climate skeptics and think tanks funded by corporations known for lobbying against climate change legislation,” said Greenpeace spokeswoman Jane Kochersperger.

(HT: Daily Caller)

Finally, even environmentalists who genuinely hate their fellow human beings realize they’d probably better not make “Hell is Other People” their organizational motto. An outfit called 350.org denounced this atrocious video in the proper manner.

“350.org strongly denounces the ‘No Pressure’ video released in the UK by the 10:10 Campaign,” the group said in a written statement. “The video is diametrically opposed to everything we and this movement stands for.”

350.org even severed its ties to 10:10. “Upon seeing the video…we have informed 10:10 that we can no longer remain partners on 10/10/10 or any other initiative,” the group said.

(Daily Caller)

The leading luminaries of the environmental movement are conspicuous in their silence. Why does 350.org speak more loudly than James Hansen? What is The Sierra Club’s position on blowing up the Smith Family’s adorable, little Carbon-Farter? The Environmental Defense Fund has a large voice. Where are all those people who care?

350.org spoke for the fringe of the environmental movement. Why? Because they were the only group of people who were genuine and certain in their condemnation of what 10:10 just humorously posited as good public policy. The vast majority of the environmental movement stands among the “many people” who get the joke.

This is why environmentalists could be capable of atrocities similar to those committed by Pol Pot. Humor provides a way for us to air shocking and obscene points of view that we believe in. What you first laugh at, you later tolerate as a valid part of the discourse. Somewhere in the heart of every environmentalist who thought that video was funny lies the same evil that made the Holocaust possible. Hell, after all, must be other people.